“By offering the gift of Jesus’ flesh to the gathered multitude, Pilate confirmed Rome’s power over life and death. However, Jesus had foreseen the gift Pilate would make of his body and blood, and he preempted Pilate’s gift with his own self-giving. Whereas the spectacle of crucifixion bids the multitude to objectify Jesus’ flesh, the Eucharist invites all who would follow Jesus to participate in his death by uniting themselves with him. Thus, Jesus transformed the significance of his spectacular death by offering himself. In other words, Jesus countered the power of spectacle by making himself the object of consumption. The Eucharist is an alternative form of consumption that overturns the objectification of spectacle. Whereas spectacle maintains a critical distance between spectator and object to be consumed, the Eucharist unites us with Christ. In consuming the Eucharist we take Jesus’ body and blood onto ourselves and become participants with him in his death and resurrection…
…Whereas spectacle misdirects and exploits desire, the Eucharist redirects it back towards its proper end, which is Christ.”
Reflections 